Hymenoptera Venom Allergy (HVA) With Components Profile, II

Serum

2.5 mL

1.5 mL (Note: This volume does not allow for repeat testing.)

Gel-barrier tube

This test supports the diagnosis of hymenoptera venom allergy (HVA) by detection of sIgE antibodies to whole venom extracts and individual allergenic venom proteins. Identifying sIgE responses to specific molecular targets with component resolved diagnostics (CRD) helps fine-tune the diagnosis by distinguishing species-specific, co-reactive, or cross-reactive sensitizations. An accurate diagnosis, in turn, facilitates treatment, including prescription of venom immunotherapy.¹

The high rate of asymptomatic sensitization to hymenoptera venom makes an accurate diagnosis of Hymenoptera venom allergy challenging.^2-5

There is no correlation between the severity of sting reactions and the concentration of venom sIgE to whole venom extracts^6-10 or individual components,¹¹ and some patients with minimal level or absent specific IgE to these entities can develop severe anaphylaxis.

An increase in serum specific IgE levels after a sting is not an indicator for conversion into a clinically relevant hypersensitivity in patients with no history of severe systemic reaction to hymenoptera sting.⁵

sIgE to CCDs does not exclude clinical relevant sensitization to different venoms.¹²

Negative allergy test results can occur in patients with convincing history of sting-induced systemic reactions due to a number of causes including:

1. Testing performed in the refractory period following the sting reaction;

2. Loss of sensitization over time;

3. Sensitizing allergen component(s) under-represented in diagnostic test reagent;

4. The presence of systemic mastocytosis, as negative results occur in up to 15% of these patients.¹³

Thermo Fisher ImmunoCAP® Allergen-specific IgE